Post by Pyotr Alekseevich on Feb 3, 2015 13:28:32 GMT
Grenizilee raced to the head of the column of troops surrounding Sophia's carriages. They were nearing the monastery at which Ivan and Pyotr had taken refuge. The Strelsky were currently marching through a thicket of woods which concealed their movement. Grenizilee lead the troops out of the forest and onto the plain in front of the monastery. Grenizilee stopped in his tracks as the Strelsky filed out and formed into three large blocks facing the monastery.
Grenizilee was shocked to see that Pyotr was not simply hiding in the monastery with a few men, but had an entire regiment of infantry deployed on the flat grounds ahead. He was not going to hide by the looks of things.
“My prince! Why do you sit there like a turnip?” Sophia's carriage was only just coming out of the woods. She had obviously not seen the soldiers deployed ahead of them.
“Your majesty, we have a small problem. Pyotr's toy soldiers are looking very much real, and there seems to be a full regiment of them.” Grenizilee snapped out of his stupor and reined his horse around to the carriage.
“Damn! What idiot let him train a thousand men without telling me?! We cannot allow him to get away with this. If he has an entire regiment loyal to him and not us then he can begin to threaten our ruling position. Send in the Strelsky, let their axes deal with these 'toy soldiers'. But make sure that you bring Pyotr and Ivan back alive.” Sophia retreated into her carriage as servants set about erecting a marquee.
Pyotr gripped his reigns tightly. He was scared, a feeling which surprised him. He had never thought to be scared before. He looked out at the deep ranks of Streltsy in their dark red robes, carrying the great curved axes with which they had put Ivan in power some years before. A small figure on a horse dashed to the front of the Streltsy and shouted out some commands, the enemy began to advance, slowly and somewhat disorderly. They trudged through the snow, drums rattling, blades glinting.
Pyotr took a deep breath and pulled out ahead of his men “Brave soldiers of my Lifeguards! Remember the years we have been practising, the discipline we have learned and the camaraderie we have gained! All that has been to prepare us for today! We must make an example to remove that witch, that murderous usurper from the throne that she tries to occupy!” Pyotr drew his sword.
“We will destroy the Strelsky and bring Russia crashing into the modern world! For mother Russia!” The men roared their approval with multiple 'hussahs!' being shouted out.
The Lifeguards moved forwards and deployed by company in a line 4 men deep and 250 men long. The front rank kneeled down to allow for the second rank to fire. As the Streltsy came within 100 meters they began to break into a run and to roar. When they reached 70 meters Pyotr raised his sword. When they reached 50 meters the Streltsy raised their axes. When they reached 30 meters Pyotr droped his sword. The Streltsy did not reach 30 meters.
Pyotr was almost deafened as 500 muskets fired in unison. Hundreds of Strelsky fell to the ground, their red robes and pools of blood in stark contrast to the clean white snow. The Strelsky were so shocked that their assault stuttered and paused for a second. This allowed the third and fourth ranks to step forwards and unleash another brutal volley on the Strelsky who now, at the first sign of stiff resistance, began to break and retreat.
Pyotr signalled the small detachment of cavalry which he had taken with him, about 100 men, to seize Sophia and her companions. They would be prevented from returning to the Kremlin. Sophia would be stripped of her rank, name and privilege and sent to a distant monastery from which she would not be allowed to return.
“What now my Tsar?” Gordon spoke up for the first time in several hours. He was clearly shocked at how effective the Lifeguards had been.
“We deal with Sophia's closest ally, that weasel Grenizilee and banish him from Russia. The nobility will not abide by my killing him, but banishment will do just fine.”
Pyotr and Gordon followed the advancing Lifeguards as they moved over the dead corpses of the Streltsy. Pyotr noticed a fallen horse, probably belonging to the officer who had dashed out and ordered the advance, hopefully that Officer was Grenizilee. He leaned down from his mount to try and see the officer who had been mounted on it. The corpse was sprawled face down across the ground, Pyotr took a lance from one of his passing Ulans and pushed the corpse onto its back. It was not Grenizilee as he had hoped, but instead some Captain with a musket ball between his eyes.
“Well Gordon, I don't think the chase is over.” Pyotr chuckled.
“Indeed sir it is not.” Gordon began to chuckle as well.
“Come on then, lets get back on the road to Moscow. He must establish ourselves in the Kremlin, I want the entire regiment barracked within the walls. If the Streltsy try and rise up with Grenizilee, we will butcher them.” Pyotr stopped laughing and began barking out orders.
Grenizilee was shocked to see that Pyotr was not simply hiding in the monastery with a few men, but had an entire regiment of infantry deployed on the flat grounds ahead. He was not going to hide by the looks of things.
“My prince! Why do you sit there like a turnip?” Sophia's carriage was only just coming out of the woods. She had obviously not seen the soldiers deployed ahead of them.
“Your majesty, we have a small problem. Pyotr's toy soldiers are looking very much real, and there seems to be a full regiment of them.” Grenizilee snapped out of his stupor and reined his horse around to the carriage.
“Damn! What idiot let him train a thousand men without telling me?! We cannot allow him to get away with this. If he has an entire regiment loyal to him and not us then he can begin to threaten our ruling position. Send in the Strelsky, let their axes deal with these 'toy soldiers'. But make sure that you bring Pyotr and Ivan back alive.” Sophia retreated into her carriage as servants set about erecting a marquee.
Pyotr gripped his reigns tightly. He was scared, a feeling which surprised him. He had never thought to be scared before. He looked out at the deep ranks of Streltsy in their dark red robes, carrying the great curved axes with which they had put Ivan in power some years before. A small figure on a horse dashed to the front of the Streltsy and shouted out some commands, the enemy began to advance, slowly and somewhat disorderly. They trudged through the snow, drums rattling, blades glinting.
Pyotr took a deep breath and pulled out ahead of his men “Brave soldiers of my Lifeguards! Remember the years we have been practising, the discipline we have learned and the camaraderie we have gained! All that has been to prepare us for today! We must make an example to remove that witch, that murderous usurper from the throne that she tries to occupy!” Pyotr drew his sword.
“We will destroy the Strelsky and bring Russia crashing into the modern world! For mother Russia!” The men roared their approval with multiple 'hussahs!' being shouted out.
The Lifeguards moved forwards and deployed by company in a line 4 men deep and 250 men long. The front rank kneeled down to allow for the second rank to fire. As the Streltsy came within 100 meters they began to break into a run and to roar. When they reached 70 meters Pyotr raised his sword. When they reached 50 meters the Streltsy raised their axes. When they reached 30 meters Pyotr droped his sword. The Streltsy did not reach 30 meters.
Pyotr was almost deafened as 500 muskets fired in unison. Hundreds of Strelsky fell to the ground, their red robes and pools of blood in stark contrast to the clean white snow. The Strelsky were so shocked that their assault stuttered and paused for a second. This allowed the third and fourth ranks to step forwards and unleash another brutal volley on the Strelsky who now, at the first sign of stiff resistance, began to break and retreat.
Pyotr signalled the small detachment of cavalry which he had taken with him, about 100 men, to seize Sophia and her companions. They would be prevented from returning to the Kremlin. Sophia would be stripped of her rank, name and privilege and sent to a distant monastery from which she would not be allowed to return.
“What now my Tsar?” Gordon spoke up for the first time in several hours. He was clearly shocked at how effective the Lifeguards had been.
“We deal with Sophia's closest ally, that weasel Grenizilee and banish him from Russia. The nobility will not abide by my killing him, but banishment will do just fine.”
Pyotr and Gordon followed the advancing Lifeguards as they moved over the dead corpses of the Streltsy. Pyotr noticed a fallen horse, probably belonging to the officer who had dashed out and ordered the advance, hopefully that Officer was Grenizilee. He leaned down from his mount to try and see the officer who had been mounted on it. The corpse was sprawled face down across the ground, Pyotr took a lance from one of his passing Ulans and pushed the corpse onto its back. It was not Grenizilee as he had hoped, but instead some Captain with a musket ball between his eyes.
“Well Gordon, I don't think the chase is over.” Pyotr chuckled.
“Indeed sir it is not.” Gordon began to chuckle as well.
“Come on then, lets get back on the road to Moscow. He must establish ourselves in the Kremlin, I want the entire regiment barracked within the walls. If the Streltsy try and rise up with Grenizilee, we will butcher them.” Pyotr stopped laughing and began barking out orders.